Gold and Green: Party Welcomes TUC Call for Olympic Standard

The Green Party has welcomed calls from the Trades Union Congress to build on the Olympic and Paralympic example to create a golden legacy of social cohesion and investment for the future.

And the party's leader Natalie Bennett said the Party hoped to work with the TUC to 'change Britain's political direction'. Brendan Barber, the TUC's General Secretary, delivered his keynote speech to the Congress' annual conference in Brighton.

He said: 'It's right to celebrate the Olympics, but it's even more important to learn from them.

'Just as the Olympics needed new infrastructure, so does the rest of the country. New schools and colleges, new houses let's build the council housing Britain is desperately crying out for. And... let's build a new banking infrastructure, with a state investment bank, regional banks and a financial transactions tax.

He also called for regulation of the financial system: 'strong clear rules and proper penalties for those who break them' before adding: 'Austerity simply isn't working. There has been no growth since the government came to power. Economic beliefs that failed in the 1930s and the 1980s are being applied once again.'

'The economy is on its knees, services are being devastated and our society is becoming more fractured. Britain deserves better than this. Let us build a new Britain we can all be proud of.'

Natalie Bennett commented: 'Even the IMF says austerity is wrong. The TUC is right to call for investment in our future. 'We in the Green Party want to work with the TUC to change Britain's political direction.

'We will ensure decent levels of pay and benefits for all who need them. The Olympics and Paralympics showcased the UK's diversity, talent and determination, and their legacy should be to build a better future for all.'